``This book presents an extremely thorough analysis of the evolution of the European Council as a key EU institution. A team of authors, prominent Europeanists, renowned both among Polish and international scholarly circles, examine the evolution of the competences, importance and actual activity of the European Council over the last decade. The analysis covers the legal, political and institutional aspects of the European Council's operation, its relationship with other EU institutions and its share in the creation of internal EU policies as well as the international activity of the EU. The European Council emerges as a key EU institution which sets the directions for EU development, while also evolving itself. What deserves special attention is the attempt to `embed' the European Union in the theoretical aspects of the functioning of international institutions and integration structures, as well as to forecast its future transformations. This work offers a multifaceted review of the current knowledge on the European Council and its importance, and thereby presents a valuable contribution to the development of European Studies in Poland.'' Paweł Turczyński, Ph. ,D., Professor at Wrocław University ``The reviewed work, edited by Beata Przybylska-Maszner and Jarosław Jańczak, is undoubtedly a successful and academically mature work, both in terms of content and methodology. It is distinguished by professionally selected qualitative and quantitative literature and a clear line of reasoning. The authors have successfully combined interdisciplinary theoretical considerations with practice. Their considerable skills in the analysis, evaluation and forecasting as regards the main research problem, namely the institutional and legal dimension of the functioning of the European Union in the second decade of the 21st century, with particular emphasis on the internal and external role and importance of the European Council, are an undeniable merit of this book.'' Maciej Walkowski, Ph. ,D., Professor at Adam Mickiewicz Universityweiterlesen